Steam and water mixer



' March 27,1945. H. A. TORBETT STEAM AND WATER MIXER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1943 INVENTOR. Efl .Tofib QZZ March 27, 1945. H. A. TORBETT STEAM AND WATER MIXER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1943 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY March 1945. H. A. TORBETT STEAM AND WATER MIXER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 9, 1943 IN VEN TOR 2222i Patented Mar. 27, 1945 UNITED. sTA'rEs PATEN T OFFICE STEAM AND WATER MIXER Horace A. Torbett, Knoxville, Tenn. 1 Application June 9, 1943, Serial No. ,d90,2l4 2 Claims. (cram-1o) The object of this invention isto provide a simple means ,for heating water, by mingling steam with the water. The invention, aims, also, to provide nove1 means for heating the water through the walls of a conducting coil, traversed by the steam. I v

It; is within the province of the disclosureto improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains. I

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what'is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in vertical, longitudinal section,

a heater constructed in accordance with the inv vention;

Fig. 2 isa horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided an approximately rectangular casing C, preferably made of metal. The casing C includes a bottom I, carrying a removable plug 5, a rear wall 2, having attaching lugs 3, and a top 4 having a removable plug 5 and an outlet I4 for heated Water.

The casing C comprises a first end wall I, provided with a removable plug 8 and with a cold water inlet I5, in which is interposed a valve I5 under the control of an operator.

The second end wall of the casing C is marked by the numeral 9 and has a large opening- III. A closure plate II spans the opening! and is held in place by securing elements I2.

A vertical, inwardly extended tubular conductor I7 is formed integrally with the wall I and extends downwardly to' a substantially horizontal, inverted trough-shaped, inwardly tapered hot The conductor has a passage 50, comis spaced transversely therefromyand from the bottom I of the casing C. I

The conductor I1 is provided with an opening 5| at its upper end and forming a water inlet for the passage 50. Disposed centrally in the casing C is a steam-conducting, heat-interchange means, such as a coil 2|, through which steam passes. The coil 2| is arranged concentrically with respect to the casing C and has an upper, lateral arm 52, provided with a depending end 22, extended downwardly into, the opening 5| at the upper end of the passage 50. The cross sectional area of the end 22 of the arm 52 is considerably less than that of the opening 5|, so that the opening is in communication with the interior of the casing C.

.At its lowerend, the coil 2| has a laterally extended arm 23,to= which is secured a collar, held on the inner surface of the plate II, by securing elements 25. The numeral 26 designates a steam pipe, which abuts against the collar 24 and is threaded into the closure plate II and is in communication with the arm 23 of the coil 2|. A thermostatic valve mechanism 21 is interposed in the steam pipe 26. A bulb 29 is prolonged through the opening Ill of the wall 9, the bulb extending across the upper end of the coil 2|. A threaded gland 30 or the like may be employed to hold the bulb 29 in the closure plate II. The

bulb 29 encloses thermostatic element 60, joined by a transmission tube 5| to the thermostatic valve mechanism 21.

The rear wall 2 and the front wall 9 carry inwardly projecting, substantially horizontal fins 3|, the fins on the front wall being disposed in alignment with the fins on the rear wall. The closure plate II and the wall I carry inwardly projecting fins 32, the fins on the end Wall being disposed out of alignment with the fins on the closure plate, and all of the fins on the end wall and on the closure plate being disposed out of aligmnent with the fins 3| on the rear wall 2 and the front wall 9, This specific arrangement of the fins promotes a thorough circulation of water about the heating unit, or coil 2|. 2

In practical operation, the steam, under the control of the thermostatic valve 27, moves through the pipe 26 and enters the coil 2| by way of the arm 23. The water of condensation or steam passes through the down-turned end 22 of the upper arm 52 of the coil 2| and the steam is condensed, drawing warm water from the easing C through the opening 5| at the upper end of the passage 50. The heated 'water moves downwardly through the passage 50, into and out of the nozzle l8. The cold water is drawn through the connection I5 and the nozzle 19 and the Water mixture rises about the coil 2|, the heated water discharging through the outlet 14.

The device is simple in construction and effects a saving of metal, in that many parts, such as the nozzles 18 and I9, the conductor I1, and the fins 32, are integrally formed.

It may be noted that when the closure H is taken off, practically all working parts of the device come out with it. l

The plug 5 is a general purpose, top-clean-out plug, and floating dirt can be flushed away the casing into the upper end of the conductor.

said plug is removed. The plug 8,,enables the operator to pry up the end 22 of the'co'il 2I"'a plate I I. The plug 5 is a lbottomdrain plug.

The water receives a double heatingaoncexasj. it enters the passage 50 along with the Water of condensation, or stearng from theend 22 of the coil 2|, and again as itrises about the coil.

What is claimedis: i i i 1. In a water heater, a casing including a top, and provided in its upperportion with an outlet for heated water, and-near its bottom with an inlet for cool water, an inverted, trough-shaped, transverse nozzle for partially heated water and formed integrally with one wall of the casing and with the bottom thereof, a substantially-vertical inwardly extended-upright conductor, the upper endof-which is spaced trom the top of thecasin'g, the conductor being formed integrally with said wall and with the specifiednozzle, and having its lower end in communication with the specified nozzle, the conductor being; open near its'upper end, a cool water. nozzle within the specified nozzleand formed integrally with said wall of the casing, .the cool water nozzle being in communica- '15 little, if such an operation is neccssarywhen, the coil is remqved or replaced alongwith the tion with the inlet, and being spaced transversely from the bottom of the casing and from bore-wall of the specified nozzle, a stream coil in the casing and located above the inner end of the specified nozzle, and means for supplying steam to the lower end of the coil, the upper convolution of the coil terminating in a depending end member extended downwardly into the conductor and terminating so close to the upper end of the conductor as to minimize choking of the conductor, the cross-sectional area of the end member being less than the cross-sectional area of the bore of the conductor, topermit water to flow from In a water heater, a casing including a top,

and provided in its upper portion with an outlet for heated water, and near its bottom with an inlet for cool-water, a substantially horizontal nozzle for partially heated water located at the bottom of the casing, a substantially vertical conductor at onelside of the casing and in communication at its lower end with the specified nozzle, the upper end of the conductor lacing open-and spaced from the top of the casing, a cool water nozzle within the specifiednozzle and in communication with the inlet, a steam coil in the casing and located above the inner end of the specified nozzle, and means for supp-lying steam to the lower end of the coil, the upper convolution of the coil terminating in adepending end member extended downwardly into the conductor and terminating so close to the upper end of the conductor as to' minimize choking of the conductor, the cross-sectional area, of the end 'membe!" being less than the cross-'sectional'area or the bore of the conductor, to permit water toflow from the ca'si'nginto the upper end of the conductor.

HORACE A. TORBETT. 

